Richard Howell recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards, while
T.J. Warren added 16 points off the bench for the Wolfpack (6-2), who have won
two straight since a Nov. 27 loss to No. 3 Michigan.

"We found some gaps and holes in their defense," NC State coach Mark Gottfried
remarked. "This is a good win."

Charlie Lee led Cleveland State (6-3) with 15 points and Devon Long donated 12
points and nine rebounds in the setback, snapping the Vikings' two-game
winning streak.

"[NC State] is a talented offensive group," Cleveland State coach Gary Waters
admitted of the Wolfpack. "That talent will allow them to win a lot this year,
but I think if we hadn't turned the ball over unnecessarily, it might have
been a different game."

With the game locked at 13-13 five minutes into the contest, Leslie threw
down a dunk to send the Wolfpack on a 10-1 surge that the junior forward
capped with a 3-pointer to give NC State a nine-point edge with 11:08 left in
the half.

The lead ballooned to 17 later in the first on a Warren triple and the
Wolfpack carried a 47-32 advantage into the break.

Cleveland State pulled within 10 just over six minutes into the second half on
a Lee 3-pointer, but Lorenzo Brown answered with back-to-back buckets to make
it 61-47 with 12:30 left in the contest.

The Wolfpack held the visitors at bay from there, never allowing the Vikings
to get closer than 11 the rest of the way.

Game Notes

It was the first-ever meeting between the two clubs ... Brown finished with 10
points and six assists for the Wolfpack ... NC State shot 54.7 percent (29-
of-53) from the field, while the Vikings shot 43.9 percent (25-of-57) from the
field.